Three Tax Measures on Nov. 3 Ballot: Roads, Hotels, and a City Backup Plan — Photo: Daderot — CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Three Tax Measures on Nov. 3 Ballot: Roads, Hotels, and a City Backup Plan
Fresno County voters face three tax decisions Nov. 3. Two are tied together; one stands alone.
Measure S appears countywide. It would replace the expiring Measure C transportation tax with a half-cent sales tax for 30 years. The current rate stays; the expiration date moves to 2057. The existing Measure C expires June 2027.
Measure D appears only in the city of Fresno. It is a separate half-cent city sales tax, developed as a backup. If Measure S passes, Measure D does not take effect. If Measure S fails, Measure D takes effect and sends revenue to the city’s general fund for public safety and infrastructure instead of the county transportation fund.
Measure A is unrelated. It would establish a 12% tax on hotel, motel, and short-term rental stays of 30 days or less in unincorporated Fresno County. County officials estimate $4.5 million annually for the general fund, supporting public safety, emergency response, health services, and water infrastructure.
Fresno County Supervisor Gary Bredefeld has called Measure S a “scam” and questioned whether the money would be spent on the transportation improvements voters expect. Mayor Jerry Dyer has encouraged voters to support both Measures S and D.
All three measures require a simple majority — more than 50% — to pass.
The Breakdown
- Measure S: A yes vote continues the existing half-cent transportation sales tax for 30 years, funding road repairs, public transit, and other transportation projects countywide. A no vote rejects the replacement; the current Measure C tax expires June 2027 unless another measure replaces it.
- Measure D (city of Fresno only): A yes vote approves a half-cent city sales tax that takes effect only if Measure S fails. Revenue goes to the city general fund for public safety and infrastructure. A no vote rejects the backup tax.
- Measure A: A yes vote establishes a 12% lodging tax in unincorporated Fresno County, estimated at $4.5 million annually for the county general fund. A no vote rejects the tax.
What This Means for You
If you live in the city of Fresno, you vote on all three. If you live in unincorporated Fresno County, you vote on Measures S and A only.
A yes vote on Measure S locks the existing transportation sales tax rate in place until 2057. A no vote means the tax expires June 2027, and the county loses that revenue unless another measure replaces it later.
For city of Fresno voters, Measure D functions as insurance: if Measure S fails countywide, the city still collects a half-cent sales tax, but the money stays in the city general fund instead of going to countywide transportation. If Measure S passes, Measure D never takes effect, even if city voters approved it.
Measure A affects only unincorporated areas. A yes vote means hotel and short-term rental guests in those areas pay 12% on top of their room rate.
What You Can Do
The voter registration deadline for the Nov. 3 election is Oct. 19. Check your registration status or register at the county election clerk’s website or the California Secretary of State’s site.
What to Watch
Supervisor Bredefeld’s criticism of Measure S centers on spending accountability — whether the revenue actually funds the road repairs and transit improvements the measure’s name promises.
Measure D’s structure means city of Fresno voters who want the city to control a half-cent sales tax — rather than share it countywide under Measure S — could vote no on S and yes on D.
